Single-trigger mechanism for firearms.



No. 704,024. -Patented July s, |902.

n |:.v 0. FuLFonn. SINGLE TRIGGEB MECHANISM FDR FIREABMS.

(Appliction lnd July 24, 1901.)

(ad man.)

n.. J im. x. 3. 0F E.. F In. l

1J n 3 M .u 47./ I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELUAH D. FULFORD, OF UTICA, NEW YORK,`ASSIGNOR OF ONE-'HALF T0 J. H. WEBSTER AND PAUL NORTH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SlNGLE-TRIGGER MEGH'ANlSM FOR FIREARM..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,024, dated July 8, 1909. Application lied July 94, 1901. Serial lo. 80.(68. Clo nodali) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that `I, Enum D. FULsoaD, oi Utica. in the county oi Oneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Single-Trigger Mechanisms for Firearms; andI do here ydeciare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which willenable others skilled in the art to which it ap- 1c pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying. drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this A speciiication'. 'he obj tyd! my present invention is to piiovide an provement in single-trigger mechanisms for doubiebarrel guns which is simple in construction, free from involuntary operations, and capable of adjustment to en- :o able one or the other of the two barrels to be tired as desired. y

Other and further objects of the invention .will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows, in partial s 5 section in double ordinary size, portions of a gun or rearm embodying my, single-trigger mechanism. Fig. '2- is a partial horizontal section, also in double size, oi the arm and in art a plan view of the mechanism. Fig. 3o B s owe in side elevation the trigger and attached parts employed in the construction. Fig. 4 shows in perspective a ratchet or escapement wheel employed in the construction. Fig. 5 shows in plan view the same in connection with attached parts. Fig. 6 shows an escapement-anchor with its pawls or dogs and spring. Fig. 7 shows a section of the devices shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 shows details of the adjusting mechanism separated 4o from the other parts of the firearm. Fig. 9 l

shows other details, bein gcertain of the parts 'shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to the reference letters and iigures in a more particular description, 1 indit5 cates the usual breech-frame of adonble-bar rel shotgun, which is provided with the npper tang 2 and the lock-plate 8 in the nature o! a removable lower tang of the frame. The lock-plate 8 is provided witha stud or post 4, o into which is screwed the lower end o'f ,the

bolt 5. These parts are as usually found inV firearms of the class speckled. The single trigger 6 s pivoted at7 to a-iixed point, preferably on the lock-plate 8. The trigger includes or has attached thereto rigidlyan addition or extension 6 in the nature of a pair of plates, which receive between them the ratchet or toothed wheel 8. The toothed wheel 8 is mounted rotatably uson its journal or bearing 9 in the trigger a dition or extension 6 and is engaged by the jointed escapement anchor 10,. which is mounted on a pivotal pin 11, also supported in the trigger extension 6*. The ratchetbrescapementwheel 8 is provided in either side 65 with recesses 8, which receive in part the adjustable sear-catches 12 and 13. The catches 12 and 13 are capable of a limited swinging movement with reference to the ratchet-wheel, determined by the width of 7o the recess 8*, and are provided with detente a, which engage in openings and secure the catches against relative movement with the ratchet-wheel except when forcibly moved.

The catches 12 and 13 are respectively adapt- 15 ed to engage at suitable times with the'sears 14 and 15, which sears are similar, except that they control the tiring mechanism of the left and right hand barrels, respectively. The sears are pivoted in the trame or to the 8o lock-plate at 16, and the catch end oi the sear is adapted to engage iu the usualA manner with-mohammed?, pivoted at 16.

19 indicates the hammer-spring.'

`Secured at one end .at b to the trigger extension 6 is a U haped spring 20. The movable end of this spring 20 is secured to a pin ciu the ratchetwheel 8, which pin c extends through a slotted opening'd in the plate portions of the trigger extension 6. 9o A pair of these springs 20 may be provided upon each side of the trigger extension 6, it desired. Such a pair is s own in the plan view i n Fig. 2. The escapement-anchor 10 has one of its pallets mounted on the body portion thereof, while the other pallet e is mounted on a hinged or movable portion. The hlnging-point ofthe movable portion is on the main pivot 11 o! the anchor, andthe movable portion is capable of movement from rco down.

piece 6", position, and the trigger is forced downward y. Tho

V .rm'"j wfvwwvwm" "W the position shown in full lines to that shown in dgtted lines in Fig. 6. It is held in its normal position by the spring The escapement-anchor 10 is provided with an elongated opening f, which receives a iixed stud or pin 21, su ported by the fixed archedbar 22 from the rame or trigger plate.

Sear-catches 12 and 13 are respectivelyconnected by connecting-bars 23 and 24 with the downwardly and upwardly extending arms of the rocking part 25. Thepart is mounted in a movable sr port -26, whichl support is capable of sliding backward aid forward in a line substantiallyl ralleiwithrthat of .the barrel of the gun. he rocking part or searadjusting lever 25 has connected to its lower arm the thumb-piece27, arranged on the outside of the frame in -`suitable position to be operated in shifting the position of the sear- 'catches 12 and 13. The usual catch provided m thisciass of arma, which secures the bar reis in closed position to the frame and which is operated by the lever 26 and the shaft 27, is provided with the rear extension or bumper 30, adapted to engage with the part 26, as will hereinafter be more particularl pointed out. Thetrigger 6 is provided wit aheelieee 6", which has on its upper sidea coup e of tooth-like Projections, as shown. A connecting-rod is provided upon one side of 'the arm, which at its forward ond is pivoted to the hammer at .h and adjacent to -the rear end slides freely through a keeper g on the post 4, heretofore mentioned. The connecting-rod 35 is provided with a tooth j, adapted to coperate with one of the teeth on the upper side of the trigger heel-piece 6. 'lhu cmmectingrod to the hammer of the other barrel of the gun is indicatedby 36, and this connecting-rod is provided with a tooth k,'co rating with the rear tooth on the trigger eel-piece 6. This mechanism serves to force the trigger down should theoperator fail to release it promptly. -The spring38 is provided and securedon the'lower tang or lockplate 3, which operates on the pin m, provided in the trigger, and operates to throw the trigger downwardly when it is released by the operator.

'lhe mechanism for cooking the hammer is not shown, as it is'well understood and eierates from the barrels when the gun is bro en When cocked, the hammers are caught by the catch end of the sears, as is 'usual in such cases. When the trigger 6 is pulled by the operator, the ratchet-wheel 8 is moved upward in connection with the movement of the trigger extension 6* catch 12, engaging with the rear en 'of the sear 14. The searisoperated todiseugage the hammer, which then operates under the intl uence of the s ring 19. As the hammer operates the toot j of the connecting-rod :i5 is passed over the tooth' on the t gger heelwhich is then in its upper voce anchor of the escapement being held by pin 2l, as the wheel 8 is moved up and down the escapemeut is operated, so as to allow the wheel to rotate one notch under the influence of the spring 20. In this movement the catch 12 is-swuug out of engagement with the sear 14. Under the inuence of the recoil of the gun the operator makes an involuntary ull on the trigger, which again raises the w eel 8, and the escapement operatesa second time, the wheel 8 rotatingturtheivto a succeeding tooth under the iniluence of the spring 20.. In this last movement the catch 13 comes luto position for engagement with the sear 15. The next pull of the trigger, which is a volnutary pull, then is communicated by the catch 13 to the sear 15, and the hammer connected with this barrel of the arm is rele ed. As the ratehetwheel-8 with the scar-ca hes 12 and 13 perform the movements last described the connectu -rods 23 and 24, together with the shifting ever 25 and its mounting 26, all move to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1, so that at the conclusion of the three movements described the dependent portion of the mounting 2G is in contact with or close to the bumper 30 on the end of the harrel-release catch heretofore described. When the release-catch is operated by means of the lever 26 and the rocking shaft 27, the bumper 30 moves to the right, as shown in Fig. 1, and forces .the mechanism last de scribed into the ition shown in full lines in Fig. 1, when t e same is reset ready for a repetition of the tiring operations. As the mechanism is reset, as described, the ratchetwheel 8 is forcibly rotated, so that the ratchetteeth are retracted through under theescapement-anchor I0. This movement would re.

q'nire a rapid vibration of the trigger were it not for the joint in the escapement-anchor heretofore described, which allows the pallet e to move with reference to the body of the pallet as it is retracted over the toothed periphery of the ratchet-wheel 8. With the arts in the position in which they are shown n Fig. 1 the arm is arranged toshoot first the left-hand barrel and then the right. This order may be reversed by the o rater moving the thumbieee 27 toward t e rear, which, operating through the shifting lever 25 and the connecting-rods 23 and 24, serves to .reverse the relative positions of .the catches 12 and 13, so that on the .rs't movement of the trigger the catch 13 is in engagement with its sear and the catch 12 comes into o ration in due course afterward. When the ammer IXO controlled by sear 15 is operated first, the

tooth k'on the connecting-rod 36 operates to cam the trigger down immediately preceding the involuntary pull before mentioned.

'What I claim as 'new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a single-trigger mechanism, the combination of a trigger, an escapement-wheol mounted on the trigger and searcatches connected therewith, an escapement-anchor also mounted on the trigger and movable therewith and means for securing one end of the escapement-anchor whereby the same is operated in the movement of the trigger, substantially as set fort 2. In a single-trigger mechanism for tirearms, the combination of the trigger, a ratchet or escapement wheel mounted upon and mov able with the trigger, adjustable scar-catches connected with and temporarily secured to said ratchet wheel, anl escapemeutanchor mounted npon the trigger, means for holding one end of the escapement-anchor against play and means for resettingsad Sear-catches, substantially as set forth.

c. The combination in a single-trigger mechanism for firearms of the single trigger, a ratchet wheel mounted thereon having catches for successively engaging th'e sears, an escapcment-anchor mounted on the trigger, means for securing one e d of said escapement-anchor from oscillating movement and means for resetting said ratchet-wheel and soar-catches. substantially as set forth.

4. In a single-trigger mechanism for tirearms, the combiuationof the soar, the trigger, catches for successively -engaging the sears mounted on" the trigger, a ratchet-wheel ELIJAII D. FULFORD.

Witnesses:

J. BENJ. BRADY, S. A. BROWN. 

